First match of the 2025-26 season started with a friendly draw at the Centenary Club on Tuesday, Centenary PH ‘B’ were against the Moordown Reds, with both teams failing to score a point in their first league match last season it was going to be a better start for at least one of them, a draw result must of felt happy for both teams, especially for Moordown Reds, that was the first time they had got two points and a Beer point in their first league match since the 2021-22 season, that is as far back as I can trace at the moment.
Another fixture at the Centenary Club was on Wednesday which was between the JB side and the Claypipe Lads, it resulted in a 3B – 1 win for the home side, the history of that score it is the first time the Centenary side have won a first league match since 2021-22 at least, also their first Beer point since then, the bad news for the Claypipe Lads it was the first time they had lost the Beer in their opening league match since 2021-22 season.
Wednesday match at the Oakdale Club saw the PHC team take on the Wallisdown Lads, the home team could only manage to field four players, they gave a good effort through the evening and won the Beer point in a best of three legs, the Wallisdown team picked up the first three points in straight legs, they also were looking to the future on the night with three under 18’s present and keen to play, but resisted the temptation to play them and get the extra 3 points per leg.
Bluebirds E played host to the Corfe A side also on Wednesday, after a frustrating start due to road closures the home team was only able to field five players for the evening, young Eddie Smith was the first to be able to take advantage of the extra one pin award every leg during the game, the result ended in a draw with the Bluebirds E winning the Beer point, they are now the only team that have won the Beer point consecutively four the last four seasons.
Last season’s champions were away to the Corfe Lads on Thursday, they started their season with a 3-1 win against the home side which included the Beer point, new signing for the Cen-Terry! 24 team Roger Voysey showed his cool experience and got the scores he needed when playing last man for the Cen-Terry! 24 team.
The other game on the Thursday was at Colehill where the OBs took on the Bluebirds A team, the away side won the first point two straight but had to rely on a 16 stick-up to clinch the second point in a best of three legs. the third point went again to the Bluebirds team in two straight legs, but the Colehill OBs battled on to gain the Beer point.

Sorry my mistake in the paper fixture list, Week 14 should be w/c Feb. 9th not 16th and Week 15 should be Feb. 16th not the 17th.
The fixtures are also now on the website and they are all correct.

50 YEARS AGO (1975-76) SEASON

Season 1975/76 all four divisions had 18 teams and all completed 34 league matches.

Winners of the 4th Division in 1975/76 season were the Oakdale C side who was captained by Dave Fallows, after their 34 league games they finished up with 104 points, which I believe is the highest amount of points won by any team since, they won 24 of their 34 league matches, and also won 24 Beers. Runner-up in the fourth division were the Redland Lads, they were captained by P. Wareham and finished on 101 points just three behind the Oakdale C side, but 16 points ahead of third place B.A.C. A team, the Redland Lads won 25 Beers. There was only one Beer Cup trophy for all four divisions that went to the Pure Drop Lads of the second division who won 26 Beers.

Winners of the 3rd Division in 1975/76 season were Municipal D, their captain for the season was G. Willey, this was their first year of playing at the Municipal Club, the previous year they played at the Newtown Con Club under the C banner and were runners-up in the fourth division, but the club shut its doors to skittles so George took his team to the Municipal Club where they won 25 games out of their 34 league matches and accumulated 96 points and won 25 Beers, that was not enough to take the Beer trophy as there was only one Beer Cup for all four divisions, that went to the winners of the second division Pure Drop Lads, Municipal D won the 3rd division by five points from the Gas Tavern Lads who was captained by A. Nicklen they won 20 of their 34 league matches and also finished with 25 Beers, they were seven points clear of the third place team Municipal E.

Winners of the Second Division in 1975-76 season were Pure Drop Lads, they were skippered by John Knowlton, they won 23 of their 34 league games and finished with a total of 95 points, 11 points ahead of the second place team. The Pure Drop Lads won the Beer Cup by winning 26 beers, there was only one Beer Cup for all four divisions the 1st and 3rd division finished on 25 and the winners of the fourth finished on 24 beers.
Redlands C were the runner-up team finishing on 84 points the won 17 out of their 34 league games and won19 beers their captain was A. Pinkett.

The 1st division winners in 1975-76 season were the Gas Tavern ‘A’ side who won 24 of their 34 matches and scored a total of 95 points, this was their third consecutive 1st division titles (73/74, 74/75, 75/76), Cyril Matthews was the Gas Tavern A captain for all those winning title years, they were six points clear of the second place team Potters Lads who was captained by R. Hatchard they won 18 of their league matches and finished with 89 points, nine ahead of the third place team Municipal A, the previous year (74/75) the runner-up spot was the Generators E side who also was captained by a R. Hatchard, they were different people believe it or not very confusing when one of them won the captain’s cup in 1978/79 season.
Cyril Matthews served on the general committee from 1972-73 to 1997 he then became President of the Poole and District Skittle League from 1998 to 2005 he then became a Life President, Cyril finished his playing career with the Broadstone Y2K team when they played from the Broadstone Railway Hotel.
There was only one Beer Cup for all four divisions, although the Gas Tavern won 25 Beers it was not enough to take the trophy, that went to the Pure Drop Lads of the second division who won 26 Beers.